The present invention relates to securement of lumber or like products on railcars, and in particular for securing lumber on centerbeam railcars using a spooled webbing system.
The presently known securement system for securing lumber on centerbeam railcars utilizes a winch mounted to a side sill of the railcar, a length of cable with a short piece of chain at an upper end of the cable, and a metal or plastic corner protector which is free to be slid on the cable. One end of the cable is secured to the side sill mounted winch. The chain at the upper end is then inserted into the appropriate keyhole slot in a corresponding center beam after the car is loaded. Before tightening the cable, the corner protector must be positioned at the upper corner of the outside of the load. The corner protector protects from crushing or cutting of the load by the high stress of the cable pressing against the corner.
When the center beam cars is to be unloaded, the tension on the cable must first be released, the chain removed from the keyhole slot, and then the cable allowed to drop to the ground. This dropping can cause injury to workers on the ground. Unless certain precautions are taken, the cable along with the corner load protector can be inadvertently driven over and damaged by fork lift trucks during unloading. The cable assembly can also become frayed which can cause injury in handling, or it can be contaminated with mud, frequently present in lumber yards. After the railcar is unloaded, the chain must be inserted in the keyhole slot and tension applied to the cable before the car can be released.